Mercedes C-Class Coupe review - Interior, design and technology
Looks are important in a Coupe and the C-Class’s sleek lines help it stand out while interior quality is also strong
Mercedes has worked hard on scaling down the near £100,000 S-Class Coupe into a smaller form for the C-Class and it has worked – the C-Class Coupe is a very stylish car and one of the smartest – if not the smartest – in the sector.
In Europe the C-Class Coupe comes in a very basic entry trim level with plastic wheel trims. But, due to UK buyers’ elevated expectations of how a Mercedes should look and feel, here the standard Coupe comes in two well specified trim levels – Sport and AMG Line.
Sport comes with 17-inch alloys, LED headlights, artificial leather-trimmed heated sports seats, a seven-inch infotainment screen, a Garmin sat-nav system and seat belts that electrically slide forwards for easy reach. The AMG Line adds more aggressive exterior styling including a more glitzy grille, 18-inch alloys, lowered suspension, speed sensitive steering, AMG branded mats and stainless steel pedals. There’s also black roof lining and silver paddle shifters on automatic versions.
The three range-topping models are developed by Mercedes-AMG – Mercedes’ in-house tuning division. The C 43 gets slightly racier exterior styling than the AMG Line cars with extra equipment such as an AMG performance exhaust, a lip spoiler on the boot-lid and red seat belts. Meanwhile the C 63 and C 63 S are the hardcore performance models and get distinctive flared body styling and body-hugging bucket seats. At launch there’s also an Edition 1 version of the C 63 S inspired by the Mercedes C 63 S Coupe racing in the German Touring Car Championship. As such it comes with racing stripes.
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The interior of the C-Class Coupe is just as stylish as the outside. Naturally it has been lifted straight out of the saloon and features the same high-quality construction and attractive design details. Virtually everything you touch is made from good quality plastic or metal and you have to look hard for any cheap feeling materials. As standard the Coupe gets gloss black inlays for the centre console but while it looks great, it can scratch very easily.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
Like most other Mercedes models, the C-Class Coupe gets a tablet-like screen attached to the dash. Opinions are mixed on whether it looks cheap or smart but at least it’s different from rivals’ set-ups. Its operating system isn’t as intuitive or pleasant to use as BMW’s excellent iDrive or Audi’s MMI. There are some confusing menu tabs that can make it tricky to use on the move despite there being the option of a scroll wheel and touch pad.
As standard the C-Class gets a Garmin sat-nav. While it may not sound very becoming for a Mercedes to use a Garmin system, it works well enough. C-Class Coupes also get Bluetooth and DAB as standard.
As part of the Premium and Premium Plus Packs there’s the option of a Burmester surround stereo system. With 13 speakers and a nine-channel amp, it’s worth the upgrade if you enjoy listening to music while on the move.
